Rabbi Eleazar wondered: But it is written, "And she [Hagar] called the name of the Lord who spoke with her, etc." (Gen. 16:13)? Rabbi Yehoshua said in Rabbi Nechemiah's name in Rabbi Idi's name: That was through an angel. But it is written, "And the Lord said to her [Rebecca]" (Gen. 25:23)? Rabbi Levi maintained: That was through an angel. Rabbi Eleazar says in the name of Rabbi Yose b. Zimra: That was through Shem son of Noah.
“The Lord said: Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing?” (Genesis 18:17). “And Abraham will become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (Genesis 18:18). “The Lord said: Shall I conceal from Abraham […and Abraham will become a great and mighty nation]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “The memory of the righteous is for a blessing, and the name of the wicked will rot” (Proverbs 10:7). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who mentions a righteous man and does not pronounce a blessing for him, has violated a positive mitzva. What is the source? “The memory of the righteous is for a blessing.” And anyone who mentions a wicked man and does not pronounce a curse for him violates a positive mitzva. What is the source? “And the name of the wicked will rot.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The names of the wicked are similar to weaving implements. Just as these weaving implements, as long as you use them, they are taut, while if you leave them, they slacken, so, too, have you ever, in all your days, heard a person call his son Pharaoh, Sisera, Sennacherib?1These names fell into disuse and rot away. It is, rather, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Reuben, and Simeon. Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Rabbi Yonatan, when he would reach this verse: “Who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the exile [that was exiled with Yekhonya king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon exiled]” (Esther 2:6), he would say: ‘Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be crushed.’2In fulfillment of the verse: “The name of the wicked will rot.” And why did he not do so [when mentioning Nebuchadnezzar] in Jeremiah? It is because every time Nebuchadnezzar is written in Jeremiah, he was still alive;3The curse “may his bones be crushed” was not appropriate while he was still alive. here, however, he was dead. Rav, when he would come to Haman on Purim, would say: ‘Cursed is Haman and cursed are his sons,’ in order to realize what is stated: “And the name of the wicked will rot.” Rabbi Pinḥas said: Ḥarvona is remembered for good.4This is what he said when reading Ḥarvona’s name. Ḥarvona was the one who suggested that Haman be hanged. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: We find that when the Holy One blessed be He mentions the name of Israel, He blesses them, as it is stated: “The Lord who remembers us, blesses” (Psalms 115:12). Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa: I know [from that verse] only that it is so regarding six hundred thousand,5An allusion to the nation of Israel as a whole (see Exodus 12:37). from where is it derived regarding each and every member of Israel, that when the Holy One blessed be He mentions his name He blesses him? It is as it is stated: “Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing? And Abraham will become a great and mighty nation.” The verse need only have said: “The Lord said: Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great” (Genesis 18:20).6The Torah could have skipped verses 18 and 19, which praise Abraham, altogether, proceeding directly to verse 20. However, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I have mentioned the righteous man, shall I not bless him? “Abraham will become a great nation.”’